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There are so many lobby groups within the Anglican Church of Canada, it\u2019s difficult to keep up. We have the Indigenous, LGBTs, Green Anglicans, Proud Anglicans, Conservatives (consisting of three people, assuming no one has died), Marxists (containing most of the rest) and now Black Anglicans of Canada<\/a>. And they all seem to be in competition for attention. Black Anglicans of Canada, for example, is envious of the recognition<\/a> of racism directed towards Indigenous people. Abject confessions of clerical racism are not inclusive enough:<\/p>\n I have observed and have been fascinated by the fact that when Canadians acknowledge racism at all, it is only to acknowledge the history of the dehumanization and destruction of Indigenous people. All other racialized groups are excluded from the narrative of racism in Canada. This narrative allows Canadians to ignore and dismiss the intricate web of racism that has systemically and institutionally shaped the development of the Canadian version of multiculturalism.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Canada, we are told<\/a>, has a pernicious history of slavery of which it should be ashamed. So does just about any other civilization that has ever existed, including African blacks enslaving each other. But we mustn\u2019t let facts intrude on our liturgy of self-flagellation. Besides, as Linda Nicholls has helpfully pointed out<\/a>, if you are white, you are a racist no matter what you say, do, think or believe. You could spend the rest of your life comatose in a cave in the Himalayas and you\u2019d still be a racist.<\/p>\n I\u2019m pinkish-white so I\u2019m not entitled to an opinion on this. I have one, nevertheless. The idea<\/em> of racism, that one race is intrinsically inferior to another or deserving of contempt, is so discredited that it is believed by no one other than madmen or those so near the fringe of humanity they are the next best thing to madmen. Yet, somehow, we are all racists.<\/p>\n Our flawed, fallen human nature does nurse an instinctive suspicion or dislike of the other<\/em>, though: protestants for Catholics; technicians for salesmen; the Welsh for the English; me for Anglican bishops. I have a Chinese friend who dislikes Chinese women drivers. Are any of these racist? By today\u2019s standard of viewing everything through the lens of racism, all of them.<\/p>\n As far as I can see, Black Anglicans of Canada has only existed as an organisation since the beginning of June, 2020. Like so much of what is happening at the moment, it\u2019s as if it spontaneously popped out of the Zeitgeist like a particle from a quantum vacuum.<\/p>\n As an aside, the photo at the top of this article (also in the Anglican Journal article) shows someone holding a sign demanding justice for George Floyd. We all like justice to be visited on others and the policeman who was instrumental in Floyd\u2019s death will, no doubt, experience divine justice at some point. Human justice in North America, however, demands a number of things: a fair trial for the accused and a presumption of innocence. Has anyone anywhere in the media mentioned presumption of innocence \u2013 if so, I have not seen it? Do those holding up signs really want the justice our legal system provides? I doubt it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are so many lobby groups within the Anglican Church of Canada, it\u2019s difficult to keep up. We have the Indigenous, LGBTs, Green Anglicans, Proud Anglicans, Conservatives (consisting of three people, assuming no one has died), Marxists (containing most of … Continue reading